Empanadas
Crescent shaped savory pastries made of crusty dough and filled with a variety of ingredients
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 oz unsalted butter, cubed and chilled 1/4 inch cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup ice water
- 1 egg (beaten) + 1 tbsp water for egg wash
Onion and Cheese filling
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium white onions halved and sliced
- 1/2 cup aged gouda shredded
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- salt & pepper as per taste
Sweet Potato Lentil filling
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup cooked green lentils
- 1 medium sweet potato chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1/4 cup vegetable broth
- salt & pepper as per taste
Instructions
Crust
- To make the dough pulse the flour and salt in a food processor.
- Add butter, egg and ice water and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Transfer the mix on a clean work surface and shape the dough into a disc. Tightly cover the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Onion and Cheese filling
- Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat.
- Once hot saute onion until it turns golden, 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and season with oregano, garlic, salt & pepper. Set aside.
Sweet Potato Lentil filling
- Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat.
- Saute onions once the oil is hot until soft. Stir in sweet potato and vegetable broth; cook covered until the potatoes are tender. Around 5 minutes.
- Add lentils and spices, mix and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assembly
- Remove dough from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and place rack into the center of the oven.
- Line two baking sheet with parchment paper and set side.
- Divide the dough into 20 equal parts and roll into a circle around 5" in diameter.
- Alternatively, you can roll the dough into a 1/8" inch thick disc and cut out 5 in circles using a big cookie cutter.
- Working with one prepared circle at a time add a heaping 2 tbsp of filling onto one side of the circle.
- For onions and gouda filling, place a tbsp of cheese followed by 2 tbsp of onions.
- Fold the dough in half. Using a fork, firmly press the edges together. Repeat this process with remaining circles and filling and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheets.
- In a small bowl mix together an egg with 1 tbsp of water, brush each empanada with egg wash until evenly coated. Bake for 35 min or until golden brown.